Slow Food Festival in Asia

The goal of the AsiO Gusto Festival is to bring awareness to "slow," locally sourced food.

Namyangju, a satellite city outside Seoul, South Korea, is hosting slow food festival AsiO Gusto, the largest-ever food festival held in area. Fourteen nations from around the world are participating in the six-day event, held from Oct. 1 to 6. The goal of the festival is to bring awareness to "slow," locally sourced food.

"We must return to local, traditional flavors, and free them from the constraints of fast food. The current threat of efficiency, productivity, and a fast-paced life should not change and harm us. Instead, we suggest the proactive solution of Slow Food," the organizers stated on their website.

Slow Food International is the host of two other major slow-food events — the Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre event in Italy and Euro Gusto in France. By bringing the festival to Asia, they hope to give people a better understanding of different regional cuisine in Asia.

Events at the AsiO Gusto festival include conferences, workshops, cooking contests, and exhibitions, with 90 experts from 20 countries scheduled to attend and discuss the latest trends and studies on slow food around the world. Visitors can also taste various types of food and drink from 22 different nations.